How to shop for a used piano

Congratulations! You’ve decided on purchasing a piano. Many folks like myself, have purchased used piano for my home. It is a wonderful way to get a higher quality instrument at a significantly lower price compared to a new piano, making it a great option for beginners or anyone on a budget who wants a better sound without spending a large sum of money.

Plan to inspect your potential piano by bringing along a few items, such as a flashlight, a soft brush , a screwdriver, and a tuner to check the piano’s pitch. These small tools will prove helpful for examining the strings, the tuning block, bridges, and other aspects to help you determine the condition of any used piano you are considering. Take notes about parts that appear too worn, broken, or unusual, and plan to discuss all of these with a skilled piano technician. Remember that a fully equipped professional technician should make the final evaluation since what seems acceptable to you could be a significant problem.

Also, try out the piano. See how it feels. If you are not comfortable playing, take a friend along who does play, and they can offer their opinion on how it feels and responds. If anything seems irregular, be sure to bring it up with your technician.

Also remember to take a peak inside. And don’t be afraid to ask the current owner to see the piano’s inside and to remove any decorative items before you open it. After all, seeing the internal condition is critical before making a purchase.

Key things to keep in mind:

• test the pitch and tuning

• investigate the pinblock’s condition

• inspect the strings, bridges, pedals, soundboard

Northshore Tuning is happy to assist you in your search for an excellent used piano and offers professional advice for any evaluations you may need.